The AARGM-ER missiles, specialized for targeting enemy air defense systems, will be acquired from the American company Northrop Grumman at a cost of around 3.5 billion kroner, according to reports. They will be implemented gradually over several years. All 52 F-35 fighter jets, based primarily at Ørlandet in Trøndelag, are now operational and already equipped with the Norwegian-developed JSM missile.
Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik emphasized the strategic importance, stating that the most important thing they do is to deter and prevent war. He added that they will be able to establish total air dominance. According to reports, Lars Peder Haga, a first lecturer at the Air Force Academy, described the AARGM-ER as a specialized missile crucial for fully utilizing the F-35 jets as a system, noting that lessons from Ukraine show air control often falters without tactics and weapons to destroy air defenses.
This acquisition occurs as Norway's defense budget has almost doubled since 2021, with Sandvik calling the F-35 fighter jets Norway's most powerful weapon. The broader defense context includes Nordic countries collectively operating 250 fighter jets.